Railway hatch cover and locking means therefor



Feb. 19, 1952 w BEAUCHAMP 2,586,601

RAILWAY HATCH COVER AND LOCKING MEANS THEREFOR Original Filed May 11, 1944 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 lNl/EN TOE-- W/L FEED H. BEHUCHHMP 1952 w. A. BEAUCHAMP RAILWAY HATCH COVER AND LOCKING MEANS THEREFOR z SHEETSSHEET 2 Original Filed May 11, 1944 mvewroe- W/LFEED H. BEHUCHfi/VP Try- Patented Feb. 19, 1952 RA ILVVAY HATCH COVER AND LOCKING MEANS THEREFOR Wilfred A. Beauchamp, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application May 11, 1944, Serial No.

535,176. Divided and this application September 20, 194.6, Serial No. 698,311

2 Claims. (C1. 2016) This invention relates to railway hatch covers and locking means therefor and more particularly to hatch covers for covered railway hopper cars. It is an object of this invention to provide hatch covers which shall be effectively sealed.

A further object is to provide hatch covers .embodying flexible sealing means wherein the covers and sealing means are so associated with the hatch frames that the sealing means is flexed sufficiently to provide effective seals while the weight of the covers is carried by the frames independently of the sealing means.

A further object is to provide locking means for series of hatch covers of covered hopper cars which shall provide more direct locking pressure .and a substantial reduction in torsion stresses.

A further object is to provide locking means :for series of hatch covers of railway hopper cars wherein the locking means is swingable away from and toward the covers to furnish more direct locking pressure and a substantial reduction in torsion stresses and the locking means is automatically swung toward the covers during actuation to locking position. a

A further object is to provide locking means for series of hatch covers which shall furnish a more secure and uniform fastening than heretofore obtained by locking devices of this class.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a covered railway hopper car showing locking means emcovers during actuation of the locking means to locking position.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of one side of a hatch cover showing one form of sealing means.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing another form of sealing means.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral Ill designates a portion of a roof structure for a covered railway hopper car designated generally by numeral II. Fig. 1 illustrates a portion only of the roof structure and it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the portion of the roof structure on the opposite side of the running board I2 is similar in construction to the portion of the roof structure illustrated.

The roof structure embodies metallic sheets l3- extending across the car and supported at their eaves ends upon side plates, one of which is indicated at M. A plurality of hatches l5 are formed in the metallic sheets l3 of the roof l0. Fig. 1 of the drawings shows four of such hatches but it is to be understood that more or less may be utilized and that the spacing of said hatches may be as desired. A hatch frame It is secured to the roof sheets l3 around each of the hatches [5. As illustrated each hatch frame is formed of angle members ll having one leg l8 secured upon the roof sheets I3 and the other leg l9 extending upwardly from the roof in order to provide supports for hatch covers 20 hereinafter described. The hatch frame It is substantially rectangular in outline so as to conform to the outline of the'hatches. An angle member 2! is secured to the upstanding leg I!) around the frame [6 adjacent to the upper edge of the frame in such a manner that one leg '22 extends outwardly from T the hatch frame for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Each hatch frame is provided with a cover 26 preferably formed of sheet metal so as to provide a body portion 23 and a depending peripheral flange 24 which lies outwardly of the horizontal leg 22 of the angle member 2| when the cover is in closed position. Each cover is swingably supported upon its hatch frame by means of a plurality of brackets 25. Each bracket which is preferably in the form of a casting is formed with spaced ears 26-21 between which the eye portion 28 of a hinge strap 29 is adapted to be received. A rivet 30 passing through the ears 2621 and the eye 28 of the hinge strap pivotally secures the strap to the bracket.

An angle member 3! is fastened around the inside of the depending peripheral flange 24 of each cover '20. The angle member 3| is so disposed that it presents a leg' 32 directed toward the upstanding leg I9 of the hatch frame and lies above and in spaced relation to the leg 22 of the angle member 2 I. A flexible sealing strip 33, preferably formed of metal, is secured around the depending peripheral flange 24 of each cover between said flange and the angle member 3i.

3 The sealing strip is formed with a portion 34 which abuts the underside of the leg 32 of the angle member 3| and with a freely extending flange 35 spaced below the leg 32.

It will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 3 of the drawings that in the final closing movement of the hatch covers the freely extending flange 35 of the sealing strip 33 will engage and be flexed by the outwardly extending leg 22 of the angle member 2| thereby establishing an effective seal for the hatch covers. However, while suflicient pressure between the sealing strip and the leg 22 is provided in order to establish a seal, the weight of the cover when in closed position is not carried by the sealing strip but by the sturdier hatch frame. Possible damage to the light sealing strip is thereby obviated.

Means is provided to lock the series of hatch covers in closed position. To this end a plurality of Z-shaped clips 351s. secured to the depending peripheralflange along the swinging edge ofthe cover as more clearly shown in Fig. 3ofthe'drawings. The Z-shaped clips 3 6are so arranged that one flange 3lthereof extends outwardly'from the peripheral flange so as to serve as a somewhat flexible locking abutment.

A rod 38 extends across the series of hatches in spaced relation to the swinging edges of the hatch covers. The rod' 38 is rotatably supported by a plurality of standards 33* each of which is pivotally supported, as indicated at 48', between the vertical flanges of a pair of angle clips. The standards'39 are-'swingabl'e about their pivots away from and toward the hatch covers so as to carry the rod 38* away from and toward the locking abutments 3'! of the Z-shaped clips 35. Eccentrically mounted uponthe rod- 38 so as to rotate therewith are a plurality of cams 42 which are adapted to cooperate'with the locking abutments 31 as hereinafter explained, in order to lock the hatch covers.

Rotation of the rod 38-and swinging movement of the standards 39 away from the-closurememher is obtained by means of a lever 43 fastened to the rod. Atthe end of this swinging.move ment the lever- 43 willassume the position indicated by the dot and dash lines shown in- Fig. of thedrawings. The lever 431s supported in this position by means of a bracket fastened to the leg 18- of the angle member I]. The bracket member 44 embodies a base-45, an. upstanding portion 46, and adownwardly and inwardly inclined portion 41-. The latter portion is cut away as indicated at 48 soas to; provide a shoulder 49 against which the lever 43. is adapted to rest when it has been. moved to its fullest extent away from the hatchcovers. In this position of the lever itwill be observed'that the free end of the lever overlapsthe portion 41. of the bracket 44 below the cope 48.

Additional brackets 58 may besecured. through their base 5| to the leg [30f theangle member H. Each of these brackets is formed with. an upstanding portion 52 and with a downwardly and inwardly inclined portion 53; Anintermediate section of the portion 53 is, cut away, as indicated at 54, so as to provide a shoulder .55 adapted to engage and limit outward movement of a finger 56 fixedly secured upon the rod38.

When the covers are in open position the standards 39 and the rod 38 carried; thereby are swung outwardly as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The covers 2e, may then be swung to their. closed positionwhere they are supported upon, the. hatch. frames I6. In

order to lock the covers 20 in closed position the handle end of the lever 43 is grasped and the lever pulled toward the hinged edges of the closures. In this movement of the lever its free end will abut against the downwardly and inwardly inclined portion 41: of thebracket44 so as to impart swinging movement to the standards 39 and to.- the rod 38 carried thereby. At the same time, the fingers 56 will fulcrum upon the downwardly and inwardly inclined portions 53 of the brackets 52 so as to aid in imparting swinging movement to the standards. andto the rod. Such swinging movement. positions the cams 42 above the lockingabutments-3'l of the Z-shaped clips 36 whereuponcontinued pull upon the lever 43 will impart rotation to the rod 38 and to the cams 42 mounted thereon. By reason of the instant invention rotation of the cams 42 will establish contact between them and the locking abutments 3! at points in close proximity to a plane at right angles to the roof: structure and including theaxis of rotation of. therod 38. By. virtue of such contact the amountof eccentricity imposed upon the rod,38 is substantially reduced so that the torsional stresses set up in the rod are materially decreased. It follows that accurate and eflective locking engagement between the earns 42 and the lockingabutments 3 1 is. socured and maintained. When the covers. are: locked, the lever is fastened. in, position by means of. a fastener indicated generally by. the reference 3 numeral 51.

vide a downwardly and outwardly extending flange 60,. In this form of the invention,,moreover, the depending peripheral flange 24 of the hatch cover is bent downwardly and outwardly to provide a flange 6|, which whenthe covers are -closed engages and flexes the downwardly and outwardly extending flange 60 of the sealing'strip in order to provide an effective seal for the cover. As in; the previously described sealing construction the weight of the cover is. carried by the hatch frame.

This application. is a. division. of my co-pe'nding application, Serial.No.'535,1'76, filed May 11,

1944, now Patent No. 2,433,084 issued December 23, 1947.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modiflcati'ons and changes be comprehended withinthis invention, which isto be limited only by the scope of'the claims appended hereto.

I claim: 7

1. In a covered railway car havinga roof, a hatch in said roof and a hatch frame member secured to said roof around saidhatch, a cover member adapted to be supported by said frame member, said cover member having a bodyportion and a peripheral flange spaced outwardly of said frame member, said peripheral flange terminating below the top of said frame and above said roof, an angle member. secured around" the inner face of said peripheral flange, said angle member having an upstanding leg secured to the inner face of said peripheral flange and an inwardly extending leg, a flexible metallic sealing strip disposed between said upstandingleg and said peripheral flange, said sealing strip having a flange abutting the underside of said inwardly extending leg and a freely bendable outwardly directed flange.

2. In a covered railway car having a roof, a hatch in said roof and a hatch frame member secured to said roof around said hatch, a cover member adapted to be supported by said frame member, said cover member having a body portion and a peripheral flange spaced outwardly of said frame member, said peripheral flange terminating below the top of said frame and above said roofjan angle member secured around the inner face of said peripheral flange, said angle member having an upstanding leg secured to the inner face of said peripheral flange and an inwardly extending leg, a flexible metallic sealing strip disposed between said upstanding leg and said peripheral flange, said sealing strip having a flange abutting the underside of said inwardly extending leg and a freely bendable outwardly 6 directed flange, said hatch frame engaging the body portion of said cover and supporting said cover when the latter is closed, said outwardly directed flange of said sealing strip being freely bent and being capable of further bending when said cover is closed.

WILFRED A. BEAUCHAMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

